Try It Out | Chocolate Lava Cake

I have been wanting to make lava cake for quite a while. I have always loved ordering one at Chili's or Applebees, but I have yet to make it myself. After trying this out I am starting to realize some of the recipes I have left to the restaurants for so long are some of the easiest to make! I've figured their tricks out and now I can make it at home while saving money. That makes me happy.

This particular recipe is from Craftsy, take a look at their instructions if you're interested. What I liked the most about this one compared to the others I have found is the simplicity of ingredients and directions. This is an easy weeknight dessert and since it only makes enough for 2-3 people, you don't have a lot of leftovers. I call that portion control, others may call that unnecessary restriction. Take your pick.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 c. Butter

• 1/2 c. Chocolate Chips

• 2 Eggs (1 egg and 1 extra yolk)

• 2 T. Sugar

• 1/8 t. Salt

• 1 T. Flour

...that's it! Simple, right?

To start, you will preheat your oven to 425. Then melt the chocolate and butter together in the microwave, I suggest 30 second intervals. Stir the mixture between each interval and stop once it is all melted. It should only take a minute or so.

(I figured at this point, it was going to be delcious simply because the majority of the ingredients are butter and chocolate. I am always on board with that.)

Next is whisking the eggs together, then adding the salt and sugar. This breaks down the eggs so that it will mix well with the rest of the ingredients. You will mix these three things together for one minute.

Eggs

Sugar and Salt

Once you have mixed the eggs with the sugar and salt, it is time to add in the melted chocolate and butter.

Chocolate and Eggs

Mix together

Now you are ready to put these in baking dishes and get them in the oven. I used three oven safe ramekins that I first lined with butter and cocoa powder. This is to make sure they come out easily! (If you don't have cocoa powder, try the same technique with sugar). I put my dishes inside of a 9x13 pan so that they would be easy to maneuver in and out of the oven compared to if I put them all in separately.

Coat Ramekins

Pour Batter

These will go in the oven for 11 minutes. When they are done they should be golden brown on top and firm to the touch but still have some give where you know they will still be gooey inside. They will have a dome top and that is when you know they are done.

From there you will want to hold the ramekin and take a knife or spoon around the edge of the cake to release it from the ramekin. Then place a plate on top and flip it over to take the cake out. You may have to give it a tap or two, but if you coated the ramekin ahead of time, it should come out pretty easily!

You can see the cocoa powder on the glass. It may look like you've completely burned the outside, but that is just the powder and butter combining which looks very dark. Don't fret!

Once you are all done and have plated your lava cakes, put a scoop of vanilla ice cream on and you're good to go! Now I do realize these may look like hockey pucks, but I promise you they are delicious and gooey on the inside. Bear with me as I work on my presentation skills.

Enjoy!

-Samantha